Lawyer Willis Otieno has called for the introduction of civilian police boards as a way to curb cases of escapes involving crime suspects held in police stations.

Reacting to the public notice of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) issuing a Ksh1 million cash reward for the whereabouts of the Kware dumpsite killings’ main person of interest, Collins Jumaisi, who escaped from police custody in August 2024, Otieno has argued that having such facilities would have prevented Jumaisi and 12 undocumented Eritrean migrants from breaking out of Gigiri police cells in Nairobi.

Jumaisi was apprehended after he was linked to the killing of 42 women and dumping their remains in the Kware dumpsite, Nairobi. The 33-year-old was apprehended on July 15, 2024, after admitting to having dismembered his victims, and later he escaped from police custody.

”If we had Community Police Boards, suspects wouldn’t just “disappear” from cells, and cases wouldn’t vanish into silence. These boards, made up of local citizens, would ‘oversee police stations directly, ensuring escapes, bribes, and negligence are not swept under the carpet,” Otieno took to his X account on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.

He also suggested that station commanders should be held accountable in case of such occurrences.

”Hold commanders accountable to the people they serve, not just to their bosses in Nairobi. Track high-profile cases so that no suspect accused of serial killings can slip back into society unnoticed. Bridge trust between wananchi and the police, because justice can’t rely on Twitter hashtags or media shaming,” he added.

DCI launches hunt for Jumaisi

Meanwhile, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has issued a Ksh1 million cash reward for information on Collins Jumaisi. In their statement released on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, the DCI confirmed that they are hunting for one man linked to the Kware dumpsite and the Nairobi killings reported in August 2024, who is still at large after escaping from custody last year.

”Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, the prime suspect in the monstrous killing of several women whose bodies and parts were retrieved from the Kware dumpsite in Nairobi, is still wanted by police. Jumaisi escaped from custody in August 2024, moments ahead of his arraignment for murder,” the statement read in part.

The DCI statement continued to say, “The National Police Service hereby pledges a cash reward of Ksh 1 million to anyone who provides credible information that will assist in the re-arrest of the suspect. Every piece of information is valuable.”